Elderly women who suffer a broken upper arm are five times more likely than normal to break a hip within a year after the arm fracture, a finding from a new study that might help in efforts to prevent both types of fractures. The study was published in the March issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

The exact relationship between arm and hip fractures isn’t clear, but “there is evidence to support that both fractures stem from similar reactions to a fall,” Clinton said. “When patients age, their reflexes slow down, and they may not have the time or ability to correctly position themselves as they fall. Rather than trying to catch themselves as a younger person would do, studies show that elderly people have a tendency to simply tuck and roll, which causes greater force on the shoulder and hip.”

Causes of falls among elderly people include: effects of medications, neurological disorders, loss of an ability to maintain balance and decreased reaction time.

The U.S. National Institute on Aging

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